Snubbed bolster truck



OGL 2, 1951 w. L. scHLEGEL, JR 2,570,159

SNUBBED BOLSTER TRUCK Filed Aug. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR Oct. 2, 1951 w. l.. SCHLEGEL, JR

SNUBBED BOLSTER TRUCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 17, 1945 Patented Oct. 2, 1f951 UNITED STATES ofFFloE llclaim. (o1. 1,051,197) i The invention relates moreparticularlyto a `truck incorporating `aV snubbin'g device by means of which frictionalcontrolis` aorded of the oscillations of the bolster-support ing spring group.

An object of i the invention is to design a snubbed truckincorporating a snubbing` device which operates to develop a greater degree of friction in one direction of movement of the bolster than in the opposite direction of movement for preventing synchronous oscillations of the bolster-supporting spring group.

A specific object of the invention is to design such a truck as above described wherein friction shoes are housed in the bolster at opposite sides thereof inengagement with wedge means supported on resilient means, the resilient means being seated on the side frame and .operatively urging the wedge means into engagement with the` shoes and the shoes `into frictional `engagement with the adjacent side frame columns.

The inventionA contemplates an arrangement such `as, above described `wherein each friction shoeV is engaged along arcuate surfaces by the wedgemeansand a wall of` the` bolster in such mannerA as to allow relative. angling movement ofthe bolster and side frame Without disrupting the .frictional engagement of the shoeswth the side frames.

,Inthe invention, I employ a novel shoe and wedge-the shoe comprising a main friction wall@ having a friction face on one side thereof, and a substantially horizontal wall and `diagonal wall projecting from said friction wall, the diagonal Wall presenting a V-shaped wedge surface crowned from top to bottom, and the horizontal wall presenting an arcuate surface, and the, wedge `comprising a member having spaced substantially horizontal walls, and lateral walls presenting re`- versely arranged diagonal V-shaped surfaces, one of said horizontal walls providing a springseat,

,'Ilhe foregoing and other objects and advantages of Ithe invention will become apparent from the following specification and' the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a railway car truck embodying the invention, partly in section, said section ,being taken in a` longitudinal vertical plane .approximately bisecting the side frame as indicated by the line I-I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan View of the structure shown in Figure 1 with the side frame shown in section through the columns thereof;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken to railway car trucks andi in the transverse vertical plane indicatedby. the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

"Figures 4 and 5 illustrate in detail the` frictionl shoe' utilized in the arrangement of Figures 173;

Figure 4` being a side elevation of theshoe, and

Figuret being `a bottomplan View thereof;

Figures (i and 7 illustrate in detail thelwedge. member `utilized in therarrangement of Figures 1 and 3, Figure .6 being a side elevation thereof and` Figure 7 a top plan view thereof.

Describing my novel snubbed truck in detail, kthe side frame comprises` tension and compression members Zand 4 connected at each end of the; frame by a column 6 defining the bolsteroponing 8 having a widened lower .portion I0 for a purpose hereinafter more fully described.

The tension member is of `conventional, box, s,e,c l tion with the top chord Il` thereof affordingga seat I2 (Figure, 1) for the bolster-supporting spring group comprising the main coil springs diagrammatically indicated at i4, I4 and an. auxiliary coil spring I5 `disposed centrally of the groupV and serving a purpose hereinafter de; scribed. The tension member is formed with anV u-pstanding flange I5 on the inboard and `outboard sides thereofto afford convenient confining means for theV lower vends of the springs i4, I4. The upper ends of` the springs I4, I4 are, affordeda seat Las at I8` (Figure l) for the bolster generally designated 2li, said bolster` being of boxl section and comprising the spaced sidewalls 22` and 24,j andthe top and bottom walls 26 and 28` and havel ingla pocketor passage 3,8 extending transversely therethrough betvveenthe columns 6, 6 of the side frame; 2, ,saidpocket being defined byv inboard andoutboard webs 3,2 and 34 and the top and bottom Walls `255 and 2,8,` said top wall having a substantially vplane surface `3 5 for engagement with associated friction shoes, as hereinafter described. 'Ehe-bottom Wall 28 of the bolster is formed cen--` trally thereof with a thickened portion providing annuler, opening. 36 through which extends the oil spring lI5 having its lower end seatedas at` ,40,on the spring seat I2 of the side frame tensionmember 2 centrally of the bolster-sup:` porting spring group-` and having its` upper end confined within said opening 36 and, bearingas at 42 against an associated wedge membersupg` ported. thereon.

M'Receivedwithin the transverse passage 30.101.` the bolster is a wedge member or bearer, sometimes designated an equalizer, generally designated 44, said member 44 being shown in detail in Figures 6 and 7 and being a boxlike structure comprising top and bottom walls 46 and 48 merging at opposite ends thereof with spaced reversely arranged diagonal walls 50, 50 sloping downwardly and outwardly toward the columns 6. 6, each diagonal wall 50 presenting a V- lshaped wedge surface 52 for engagement with an associated friction shoe. The wedge member 44 also comprises a centrally disposed depending lug 54 on its bottom wall 48 for reception within the upper end of the spring I5 seated against said wall as at 42, said lug 54 serving as positioning means for the spring I5.

At each side of the bolster within the passage 30 is disposed a friction shoe, generally designated 56, and one of said shoes is shown in detail in Figures 4-6 inclusive. It Will be apparent from a consideration of these figures that the shoe is a casting cored away as at 58 to lighten the same, and said shoe comprises a friction wall 60 presenting a friction surface 62 for engagement as at 64 with the adjacent column-mounted wear plate 66, said shoe also comprising a substantially horizontal wall 68 for engagement as at l' with the surface 35 on the top wall 26 of the bolster, and a diagonal wall l2 connecting the walls 66 and 68 and presenting a V-shaped wedge surface 'i4 for engagement as at 16 with the wedge surface 52 of the adjacent wall 58 of the equalizer member 44. It will be seen from a consideration of Figures 1 and 4 that the wedge surface 14 of the shoe is crowned from top to bottom, and the wall 68 of the shoe is crowned from end to end toafford the rocking motion thereof against the surface 52 of the wedge member 74 and the surface 35 of the bolster wall 26, respectively, whereby upon vertical angling -movement of the side frame relative to the bolster, the bolster will remain in its desired normal horizontal position Without impairment of the frictional engagement of the shoes with thewear plates 66, 66 of the columns 6, 8.

YIt will be apparent that the compression of the spring l between the side frame tension member 2 and the wedge member 44 will cause the latter member to be constantly urged upward in the bolster passage 30 to thereby urge the associated shoes 56, 56 into wedge engagement therewith and into sliding engagement with the bolster top wall 26 in a direction outwardly of the bolster and into frictional engagement with the column wear plates 66, 66, whereby, upon vertical movement of the bolster within the bolster opening, a greater amount of'friction will be developed on the downstroke of the bolster than on the upstroke thereof, inasmuch as the compression of the spring l5 is increased on the downstroke of the bolster, resulting in the shoes being urged into frictional engagement with the columns with greater force than on the upstroke of the bolster, the resultant frictional engagement of the shoes and side frame Wear plates effectively dampening the oscillations of the bolster-supporting spring group while obtaining frictional absorption proportionate to the load carried by the bolster and maintaining this ment by the inboard and outboard guide lugs 16 and 'I8 at each side thereof, said guide lugs 18. 'I8 being of less depth than the distance A between the anges I6 of the tension member 2`and the guide portions l80, 80 of the side frame columns 6. 6 defining the widened lower portion I0 of the bolster opening 8 to permit the convenient assembly and disassembly of the bolster and side frame, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiment of the device shown which is merely by way 0f illustration and not, limitation as various and other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claim.

I claim:

A railway car truck including a side frame having spaced columns and albolster opening therebetween, a bolster portion disposed between said columns, a spring group carried by said frame at the bottom of said bolster opening and supporting said portion, downwardly facing sur-g faces on said portion extending inwardly from the sides thereof, and means associated with said` surfaces for additionally supporting said portion from said frame, said means comprising friction shoes frictionally engaged with friction faces on respective columns, each shoe and theI related surface having a mutually engaged area respectively, one of which is curved and the other of which is substantially flat, as seen in longitudinal vertical section through said frame, all of said areas being entirely disposed between spaced transverse vertical planes defining opposite longitudinal extremities of said group, wedge means housed in said portion and presenting upwardly converging wedge faces, each wedge face and the related shoe having a pair of en gaged V-shaped areas respectively, one of which is curved and the other of which is substantially flat, as seen in longitudinal Vertical section through said frame, and spring means independent of said group compressed between said frame and said wedge means for urging the latter upwardly and thereby maintaining the shoes in simultaneous engagement with respective surfaces and respective column faces, whereby part of the reaction of said spring means is transmitted condition substantially without variation until ultimate wear has occurred between the engaged surfaces.

In the embodiment of the invention described above, the bolster is guided in its vertical moveby means of said areas from the wedge means to the shoes and thence to said surfaces.

WALTER L. SCI-ILEGEL, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

